1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to computer databases, and more specifically to optimization of matching categories within a database.
2. Description of Related Art
In today""s society, there is tremendous pressure to improve educational results, so as to have better educated citizens. There are a number of approaches currently underway to improve education. These approaches include longer schools days and longer school years, frequent standardized testing and review, sorting classes by ability, not sorting classes by ability, and cooperative education (wherein students help teach each other). However, additional creative approaches may also be needed.
Each student has a specific style of learning. For example, some students learn better when subject material is presented to them in a visual manner, whereas other students learn better with hands on experience. Some students can learn something the first time they are exposed to it, and others require more repetition. As another example, some students require a very structured learning environment, whereas other students perform better when given more independence and responsibility.
Similarly, different teachers have different teaching styles. Master teachers are professionals and understand the plurality of learning styles and will attempt to adapt to those styles as needed. However, even master teachers will have natural preferences for particular teaching styles. Currently, there is no method for efficiently and systematically matching students and teachers with compatible learning and teaching styles.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a to have a method for systematically matching students with a predominant learning style with teachers using a compatible teaching style.
The present invention provides a method, program and system for aligning students and teachers according to dominant learning and teaching styles. The invention comprise creating a menu of learning styles, and a second menu of teaching styles. Students are then tested using each learning style contained in the first menu, and the test scores are entered into a student database. Teachers are also tested using each teaching style contained in the second menu, and a database is then created for the teacher test scores. Using the student and teacher test scores, the system calculates a best-fit match between students and teachers according to corresponding learning and teaching styles.